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Beer of the Week (w/e 28th April 2024) with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
Royal Oak Inn, Wantage
Wantage
OX12 8DF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Royal Oak Inn
A long-overdue revisit found almost no change which is welcome. An array of ales on, almost all at under £3pp which is incredible, really. Sampled Tiny Rebel Cwtch (excellent) and Black Rock Deep (so-so). It’s a bit of must-visit, really. 8.5
February 2013
Finalist in CAMRA’s pub of the year 2009, this street corner pub offers excellent quality West Berks beers alongside an ever changing range of guest ales and a real cider or seven. Paul Hexter, the long-standing landlord, even has some beers named after him by both local breweries. Enter through the marked doors to find an old-fashioned layout of Public Bar and Lounge which both hold their own particular atmospheres. The pub interior is a little dated (‘well-worn’, perhaps?) with various bits of nautical memorabilia on display though unsure as to why, in the middle of Oxfordshire, in a pub called the Royal Oak…? There is a ship on the pub sign though. The punters are an eclectic lot and the atmosphere is a welcoming one. The dog is a bit rowdy. Beware afternoon closing, even on Saturdays. A 'real' local pub, worth a visit. Wantage is blessed to have both this and the Shoulder of Mutton. Go forth and drink responsibly. Rated 8.5
On 22nd April 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Royal Oak Inn
Multi award winning corner pub a short walk from the town centre and definitely the best pub in the town, whither it's the best pub in the region or even in Oxfordshire I'll leave up to you. CAMRA thinks it is since it has been Pub of the Year several times and was a runner up in the national Pub of the Year competition of 2009 as the southern regional winner. Two bars, a small public at one side end and a large saloon next door, although the saloon once had a separate snug like bar at the far end, this now houses a dart board and piano. The bar counter was fairly stiff with middle aged bar blockers but there was a choice on four pumps here plus three other beers on in the public, fortunately the usual blackboard at the less packed end of the counter lists them all. Oddly I didn't see any beer being pulled, the wine drinking landlord disappearing behind the public bar to reappear a few minutes later with a full glass or two. As expected the quality of the beer and indeed the service was good befitting its plethora of CAMRA certificates etc, West Berkshire and Wadworths were well represented but the collection of pump clips over the bar shows the range of guests. The public bar is said in the GBG to be more popular with younger drinkers, it also has table football. Décor is traditional “pub” although the wainscotting is a natural light colour rather than thick old brown, the white walls are decorated with old photos, an architects drawing of the pub and the many award certificates.
On 9th October 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3273 recommendations about 2982 pubs]